George A Seifert

The true measure of a man is not just in what he does in this world — it’s in what he gives to this world. It’s in his character. His compass. His selflessness. By that standard and by any other, George A. Seifert lived a full and honorable life. A life of principle. A life of values. A life defined by love of God, love of family and love of country. George died March 11, 2015, with family at his side and God in his heart. He was 90 years old. He was a good man. He is gone now from this world, but perhaps the beauty of a life well-lived is that its goodness remains. It lives on in the hearts of George’s eight children, his 24 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. George’s faith, his love and his self-determination are gifts he gave of freely and are traits that proved to be a strong foundation for a remarkable life. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, March 16, at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Bismarck, with Monsignor Thomas Richter celebrating the mass. Visitation will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. A rosary/vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at 1:00 pm Monday, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. George was born to Philip and Belgan (Schaefer) Seifert on July 8, 1924, in Haynes, North Dakota. He attended the country school there and lived on the family farm until he enlisted in the Navy in 1944. After boot camp and amphibious training, George was assigned to the U.S. warship LSM-107, upon which he served on missions from Hawaii to Guam and the Philippines during World War II. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, George returned to North Dakota and took a job for an electrical contractor in Hettinger. He moved to the Bismarck-Mandan area not long thereafter. In 1970, George started his own electrical shop — Seifert Electric — which today is run by his three sons and one son-in-law. On June 30, 1948, George married the love of his life, Alice Mosbrucker, in Center, North Dakota. They had eight children: Georgette, Mary Alice, Philip, Catherine, Bernadette, Christopher, Michael and Teresa. George was incredibly proud of his family and enjoyed being around them. As the family grew — first with grandchildren and then with great-grandchildren — the regular gatherings became a little louder but never less frequent. Religion also was a central part of George’s life. A member of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church for over 40 years, George attended daily mass until arthritis made it too difficult for him to walk. To know George was to know his love of God. This wasn’t necessarily because of his words — though he would certainly tell you if asked — but it was definitely through his deeds. George was a member of the St. Mary’s Hall of Fame, the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, the VFW, the AMVETS, the American Legion, the Eagles and United Commercial Travelers. He enjoyed fishing and getting together with his Navy buddies; starting in 1989, George and his shipmates held 14 annual reunions. George’s faith, love and generosity will be his legacy on earth. Meanwhile, he will be in heaven, reunited with his parents, his sisters Helen, Barbara, Rose, Maggie, and Margaret, his brothers Max, John, Wendell, Joe, and Martin and his granddaughter Melanie Neigum. George is survived by his wife, Alice; his daughters Georgette (Charles) Falk, Mary Alice (Mike) Neigum, Catherine (Kate) (Mark) Zander, Bernadette (Jerome) Fitterer and Teresa (Arnie) Heidrich; and his sons Philip (Susan), Christopher (Donna) and Michael (Jane). He also is survived by his 24 grandchildren: Michael, Ben and Zachary Neigum, and Sarah Ternes; Tricia Wild, Rachel Spilde and PJ Seifert; Annie Bennett and Katie Jo Wald; Angela Myerchin and Patrick, Matthew and Bryan Fitterer; Paul and Nick Seifert, Laura Hase and Allison Carlson; Thomas and Michaela Seifert and Jessica Arndt; Brandon and Grant Heidrich; and Melissa Falk. And George’s 29 (plus two on the way) great-grandchildren are Sierra, Paige, Andrew, Annabelle, Madeline, Genevieve, Nevaya, Max, Whitney, William, Genevieve, Zander, Paisley, Piper, Gemma, Grace, Ethan, Quinn, Broden, Beckett, Brynna, Camden, Abigail, Taylor, Joseph, Andrew, George, Philip, and Seren; and his brother, Roman Seifert. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Dakota Zoo or St. Mary’s Central High School.